Auf Wiedersehen, Sweetheart - GerIta

Chapter 6

Feliciano was immediately grateful for the warmth of the blazing fireplace as he walked through the front door. He was also grateful that Grandpa Roma and Antonio were busy talking at the front table... perhaps Grandpa would not even notice he was late. Feliciano dropped his basket on a side table and hurried over to sit next to Lovino on the couch by the stairs. It was the perfect spot to listen unobtrusively to the conversation. Lovino peered at him sideways. "You're home late," he said quietly. "Again."

Feliciano looked at his feet. "Well, it was such a pleasant afternoon, I was enjoying the walk."

"Pleasant?" Lovino's tone was doubtful. "But it's damn freezing today."

Feliciano shifted fretfully. "I like the cold."

Lovino narrowed his eyes. "No, you don't." Feliciano fidgeted with a button. "And where are the groceries? Weren't you supposed to go to the market?"

Feliciano kept his gaze on the floor. The last thing he needed was for Lovino to grow suspicious. "I meant to, but I... um... I got delayed."

"Delayed?" Lovino still sounded doubtful. "Doing what?"

"Picking flowers." Feliciano glanced nervously over at Grandpa Roma and Antonio, but they were deep in conversation.

"This is the third day in a row you have missed the market. I'm not stupid, Feliciano, I know something is up."

Feliciano looked down at Lovino's hands then stared him coolly in the eye. "I see you're not wearing your ring." Lovino narrowed his eyes, but he did not respond.

"... the fourth bombing raid harming civilians in the last month." Antonio's words caught Feliciano's uneasy attention. "These raids are flying out of the nearby German airbase which is why the American's mission is of vital importance to us. It is obvious the Germans are moving on from their counterattacks against the British. Last night their Heinkels killed nearly one hundred non military personnel."

Feliciano felt his body freeze, his mind go numb. His hands clenched onto the edge of the couch. A cold queasiness settled in his stomach. "What's a Heinkel?" he asked loudly. The room fell silent as Antonio, Roma and Lovino all stared at him. Antonio glanced inquiringly at Roma, who nodded.

"It's a German plane," explained Antonio. "A bomber."

"So, it's these Heinkels that bomb people? Not the Mrs Schmitt's?" Feliciano wasn't even thinking about what he was asking. He just had to know that Ludwig was not involved. There was no way Ludwig could be involved.

"The what?" asked Antonio. "The... Messerschmitts? Is that what you mean?"

"Yes. The Messerschmitt Bf 109."

Surprised silence fell again. Lovino broke it. "How the hell do you know what a Messerschmitt is, Feliciano?"

"I... um..." Grandpa Roma, Lovino and Antonio were all looking at him in confusion. Feliciano didn't blame them - he had never shown any interest in this kind of talk whatsoever. "I just overheard it somewhere."

"Messerschmitts are fighter planes," said Antonio. "Not bombers. They only attack other pilots."

"Not civilians?"

"No." The feeling rushing through Feliciano's chest was like an enormous sigh of relief. He almost laughed. But Antonio continued. "However... it is entirely possible that the Messerschmitts could be escorting the Heinkels, especially now that the British counterattacks have been slowing down."

"Hmm. That could be a problem for the Americans," said Roma thoughtfully.

"Yes, exactly," said Antonio, starting to sound worried. Feliciano stared at him nervously. The feeling of relief was quickly replaced by a sense of nausea. "That's definitely something we will have to look into. Where did you hear people talking about Messerschmitts, Feliciano?"